Card Lores:Superb New Student, Shizuku
Monthly Bushiroad (August 2015 Issue) She is a first-year student of the idol school "Triangle Academy". A freshman who had just finished her cadet life, she always thinks positively. A cheerful or overactive girl, depending on one's stand, her casual girly behaviour is so charming that could even make other girls' hearts flutter. Her dream is, of course, to become a top idol, a being that she has admired since childhood. "Liddy", the earnest and hardworking girl, and "Spica", the urbane noble girl---with teammates who embrace the same dream, now, she starts walking on the ladders towards her admiration. Monthly Bushiroad Short Novel (August 2015 Issue) 'Go For It! Top Idol✰' "Triangle Academy" That is the mermaid idols' gate of successes, well-known to those only in the know. Now, it is said that graduation from this academy is the shortest route to debut in "Bermuda Triangle". "Let's start with introducing yourselves. The girl sitting near the window..." Days of lessons when other kids of the same age would play around. Putting lessons in the first priority, the second priority, the third priority, the fourth priority, the fifth priority...only girls who can overcome the lessons-filled days of cadets and do not forfeit could be accepted in this academy. "From you, please." The seas where idol boom never ceases...no matter how severe the admission requirements are, thousands of applicants gather and take the admission tests every year. The ratio is hundreds to one---in other words, everyone chosen stands out from other hundreds of applicants. "Yes!" The girls overcome many difficulties and manage to be accepted into the academy. However, what waiting her are even more severe days as students of Triangle Academy...here rises the curtain of harsh competition days. "Nice to meet you, everyone, I'm Shizuku. My dream is of course, to become a top idol! I like sweet things! I dislike bitter things! My favourite song is..." "It's okay with just your name and greetings." "Eh? Ehehe, sorry~" ...the curtain rose, supposedly. ----After self-introduction, the students were given a brief introduction of the academy's facilities, and were led to the student dormitory where they would stay in the school life. "This is, my room..." The dorm life she has dreamed of for long. Shizuku dashed into the dorm faster than anyone else, and intended to satiety the room she would sleep and stay. "We-ll, I shall work ha---" "Hee!?" "---rd...that is." Behind the loudly yelling Shizuku, a trembling girl stood. The ribbon on her balloon hat wavered as her body trembled. "Eh...you're Puumo-chan, aren't you?" "Hee...yes..." "Are you...of this room?" Puumo nodded with tears in her eyes. Although Shizuku didn't do anything bad, she felt some sort of feelings of guilt...others may feel awkward. Puumo understood her weakness, and felt uneasy with the thought "I would be thought a troublesome person and be hated" in her mind. "So is it! Then we're roommates!" Her uneasiness is crushed by Shizuku's cheerful smile. "Pleased to meet you!" "Huuee!?...pleased to meet you, desu." Hugging herselves with her own arms, Puumo said greetings before thinking. She stopped trembling, and tears disappeared from her eyes. "No honorifics! For we've become friends! And roommates!" "Ha...yes...friends." A week since their encounter, Puumo has opened herself to the cheerful and kindhearted Shizuku, and she unveiled her maniacal knowledge and passion towards idols. She tells Shizuku the history of idols, be them legendary or currently active, until sunsets, and falls into self-blaming...but that's another story. ----"I like this. This's lovely, and comfortable!" Two months since entering the academy, Shizuku and other first-year students had been attending lessons with severity and fulfillment. However, the calm days suddenly came to the end. "I think simple is the best. Other teams would pick flamboyant costumes, and simple dressing would give a strong impression." "School Etoile Festival" Usually known as SEF, that is a traditional event held by students for the students. The students themselves pick the songs they perform, of course, but they also choose their ways of costumes, styles and performances. The academy promised to do their best to back up the students, and all the staff are professionals. Most requests would be fulfilled except physically impossible ones. "All of them are lovely! Oh, just dress them all..." By the way, the secret of the event is heavily secured every year to prevent anyone outside the academy to learn its existence, and the first year students have no way to know it beforehead. "Won't it be so heavy that you can't move?" Also, the SEF for each grade is different. The SEF for first year students is held at "the third full moon after first day of learning". In other words, the students are told the event one month before it is held. At the same time, the principal, on her feeling, added the regulation that students must form a team of trio to join the event this year. The first year students need to start preparations immediately after forming the team. And of course, if they cannot finish the preparations on time, they fail. "You're right-desuwa, ufufu♪" The teammates of Shizuku were "Spica", the young lady of the honourable mermaid family "Flapjack", "You two, do you have the intention to decide? There's less than one month to go." "Of course, Liddy-chan♪" And the genius girl "Liddy", who has been keeping her place of standing at the top of all aspects since being a cadet. "Then please think more seriously. In this pace, we couldn't decide even for a single costume no matter how much time we waste." "Sorry, desuwa..." "I seriously think they're lovely~..." Though they all have high individual abilities, the trio have little in common. Especially, Liddy didn't fit in the team well, and couldn't hide her anger towards the way of communication between Shizuku and Spica. It made others very worried if the team could stay as a whole until the day of SEF. ----"And, what is this situation?" "What situation?" "You called us because you have something to tell us, right? Why are you preparing the quilt?" "To make friendship closer, sleepover is the best choice~Ah, my roommate Puumo went to find that girl who shares room with Liddy-chan, eh..." "Shandee." "Right, Shandee-chan, they're of the same team, so she went there (Liddy and Shandee's room) tonight." "I live in a single room, so I'm looking forward to stay overnight with teammates desu-wa♪" "You say♪" "That's not...haa." Though Shizuku might seem only a cheerful and reckless girl, she can indeed act subtly. She probably reached an agreement with Shandee several days ago. "Alright...and, what to start with?" "Well, well, be patient...first, we'll get into it! Come!" Placing the sheet well, Shizuku welcomed the two, "Come here, come here!" "One bed, with three pillows..." "I'll go first, desu-wa~" "With some doubt in your mind, can't you!" Spica dived into the bed quickly. While Liddy crossed her arms and stood unhappily, "...okay, it's fine for just getting into this bed, I'll do." She couldn't bear the stares of the two, and got into the bed. "Go, go, make the bed warm~" "That warmness is somehow disgusting..." "That's rude!" ----After that, they talked about everything. The food they like the most, and the food they hate the most. The music they heard recently. The idols of their admiration...Of course, none of their preference overlap. If the talk was held just after they formed the team, they would quickly reach the conclusion that "there is no way to get along well with these teammates." "All food Shizuku like are sweet in taste...and you dislike most vegetables." "Green vegetables are especially uncomfortable~..." "If you have an unbalanced diet, you'll get sick easily, you see?" "And it'll affect your body style. If you don't pay attention...that'll pop out from somewhere near here." "Ahyaa!? Poking suddenly is no good!" The talk held at this moment, was a talk between good friends. "...that's really nothing overlapping. About our preferences, about the things we like." "That is, desu-wa." "Totally agree." "But, there's one thing...we share." Shizuku sat up suddenly, and the two girls followed. They looked up at the same timing subconsciously. "To become a top idol." They spoke simultaneously. Looking each other, they laughed. "Yup! For this, I absolutely want to win SEF! Work hard with my full strength!" "Of course I plan to do so...I have picked several songs today. And a little about the gestures." "And I have some proposals for the performance..." "Ooohh! Thank you, both of you~" "And, of course you would have prepared something?" "Eh?" "...Mindless girl!" "Shhoory vely maach~" "It seems that we have to work overnight, wane." With her cheeks red and swollen, Shizuku jumped up from the sheet with a cheerful smile. They'd be busy this night. And the following night, busier. Their target, was SEF championship. The first step towards becoming top idols. ----"Ladies and ladies! School Etoile Festival '1st Grade'---that is, for Year 1 students! It's time to raise the curtains★ MC are I, always full throttle! The all-ahead-style idol, Lurie, and," "Top gear all the time! The full-power-style idol, Sanya! Yay✩" "And, in addition to mere teaching staff of Triangle Academy, we have called special guests as judges★" "First of all, we have super-popular hall-of-fame younger-sister-esque idol, Meer-san✩" "Only today, I support no elder brother, but elder sisters♪" "Calling yourself younger sister despite being elder!? 'Eternal Sister' isn't just a title★" "Let's keep it going! A graduate of this academy, super-popular airheaded little-lady-esque idol, Emilia-san✩" "Good evening, I am Emilia desu. Everyone, work har-" "Headbutt with the mic when bowing! Is the the professional spirit★" "As the two special guests have introduced themselves, we'll come to the attraction of this event! SEF Exhibition Live✩" "Hidden in the petite frame, an enchanting voice that could reach even the future---our student council president! Here comes Lauris-san★" ----Welcomed by loud applause and exaggerated smoke of bubbles was a girl of small frame with orange hair like the sun. "Greetings." Without using a mic. Not shouting. "Tonight, three new etoiles will be born in this academy." Even so, her miraculous voice reached even the end of the hall. "To cheer on the first-year students...I'd sing a song." Lauris raised one of her arms up. Signaled by a crack of her finger, the hall was suddenly illuminated by lights of seven colours. "That's all for the ceremonious greetings. Everyone in the hall, let's sing together!" Her face was filled with joy that she didn't show when she entered the stage. Behind her, one could see a beautiful blonde lady...that might be an illusion. Elevated to a position that could see every part of the hall, she raised her arms like a conductor. "Let's...harmony♪♪" ----"Student council president, you're really miracle YO★Thaaaank you★" "That's all for the exhibition! Now, that's time for the first stage✩" The students were excited by the high level exhibition. The aura of the hall should not be described as "warmed up", and a better description would be "boiling". As Shizuku and her teammates watched from the monitor of the anteroom, they understood the situation. "It's time, for us to perform..." "That makes me nervous-wa..." Spica was nervous as usual, and even Liddy showed her nervousness. Cold sweat touched her cheeks, and her body trembled more for each step towards the stage. At that moment, "No, pro-blem!" "Hyaaa!" Shizuku placed her hands on the two trembling shoulders. Liddy, after producing a sound that she would never make in usual times, turned her head with an unhappy face. "What's your reasoning..." "The first!" Shizuku's words made her teammates tilted their heads. "The first, we go the first! And of course we can become the first (champion)!" "Shizuku-san..." "...you're awfully airheaded, this kid." After sighing greatly, Liddy lit her eyes with light, and placed her two hands around Shizuku's face, "Id haarts! Id haarts id haarts!" And pinched Shizuku's face horizontally. "Uhuhu, Shizuku-san's face look like mochi desu-wa. Looks tasty♪" "Don' jus' loo' an' hel' meee!" "A-ah, being nervous makes me like a stupid." Liddy smiled, and released Shizuku's face. "That's too much~!" "That's because you say something tensionless at this stage!" "But, thanks to you, I don't feel nervous anymore-wa." "Huhu...you're right." From the door that linked to the stage, a staff showed up. "It's time for your performance. Please stand by on the backstage." "Yes!" The trio walked again. (We come to this academy for the same dream---to become a top idol) (This is the first step towards that dream. Of course, I am still a bit nervous...) (I, and the team, no longer tremble. We're not afraid!) On the dark backstage, the light that shone from the gap of curtains looked like sunbeams filtered by woods and leaves. "Say greetings and our team's name at the beginning." "Introduce ourselves after the song, desu-wa-ne." "Good, let's go!" With determination, the girls stepped into the light. Hiding dreams that cannot be described fully by words, hope that could barely be embraced, and a bit of nervousness, the girls took the first step towards the future. "Everyone, good evening! We, as a trio, are---" Category:Lores